The short answer is that it is a tumor of mesothelial tissue, most often found to be malignant, that is usually located in the peritoneum or pleura. The peritoneum is the lining of the abdominal cavity, and the pleura is the outer lining of the internal chest wall and the lungs. But mesothelioma is also found in the heart or the pericardium, which is the sac that contains the heart, and the tunica vaginalis.
But it is not enough to just define mesothelioma. You also need to know how you get it. Oil refinery workers, people who served in the navy and worked in the boiler rooms of ships, miners and smelters, workers involved in the manufacture and repair of automobiles, construction workers, military personnel who were exposed to asbestos...ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO ASBESTOS, is a candidate for this disease.
- mesothelioma definition
- mesothelioma definition
Symptoms of this condition should be part of the mesothelioma definition. Unexplained weight loss, chest pain, and shortness of breath indicate the possibility of pleural effusion, which is fluid gathering between the wall of the chest and the lungs. If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor at once, especially if you know you have been exposed to asbestos.
Sometimes it is discovered while taking a chest X-ray or a CT scan. Then a biopsy would be taken, using a thorascope. Radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery may be tried, but the prognosis is not very good. Unfortunately, as with all cancers, early detection is important, and there are no good screening tests yet.
The definition of mesothelioma is a grim one. While it is considered to be a rare form of cancer, in that about 70-80 % of the time it is contracted by people who have inhaled asbestos, it is a killer. For many years asbestos has been used in brake linings, textiles, flooring, cement, roof shingles, and worst of all, in insulation. And other conditions arise from inhaling and swallowing asbestos; cancers of the lungs, the kidneys, and the larynx.
We need to do more than define mesothelioma...we need to find better screening and treatment methods.
I can't go into all of the information that's available about which mesothelioma support group will be good for you and available in your area in this article.However, if you want to learn more about how to deal with this disease, you can check out the Mesothelioma Resource [http://www.mesotheliomaresourceguide.com] Guide. I had a friend with mesothelioma, and I have put together a resource site where you can get good information about all facets of mesothelioma help available. Feel free to visit it at: www.mesotheliomaresourceguide.com [http://www.mesotheliomaresourceguide.com]Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Sandi_Oertell/825780Article
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